Reinvention of beauty meets changing consumer lifestyles
This major theme was key to a number of Marketing Trends presentations at last month’s in-cosmetics Global Marketing Trends show and included the beauty industry’s response to the impact of global pollution, consumers’ desire for a healthy approach to skin ageing and a growing demand for products to fit in with their lifestyles.
The new faces of ageing
One of today’s megatrends is healthy ageing which goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating and lifestyle choices.
Anti-ageing as a term is losing its power as consumers, both young and old, would rather seek out products for clear and healthy looking skin.
Vichy Slow Age is indicative of brands starting to adopt softer, more health and preventative language.
“Consumers are looking to replace artificial ingredients, want fewer ingredients in products and put their trust in traditional and transparent products,” commented Kseniia Galenytska, senior analyst beauty and fashion, Euromonitor International.
A real worry over the effects of pollution is also driving this trend.
According to Maria Coronado Robles, senior ingredients analyst, Euromonitor, air pollution (particularly from particulates) is a global phenomenon and likely to increase.
“By 2030, 60.5% of the world’s population will live in cities,” she confirmed.
Euromonitor research shows that pollution is a big concern for younger consumers who look for anti-pollution claims.
Another hot topic, the skin microbiome, is filtering into the consumer consciousness as more mainstream brands enter the probiotics area.
Coronado Robles asserted that the skin microbiome is a business opportunity with many types of probiotics starting to be used not only in skincare, but across personal care and dermocosmetic products.
Everyone from Clinique, L’Oreal and Elizabeth Arden to niche brands Mother Dirt, Glowbiotics, Gallinée and Drunk Elephant are milking the probiotics trend.
Healthy living, healthy beauty
The merging of the worlds of style and sports has created the athleisure trend which is now spilling over into beauty.
Driving this trend is a rise in consumers who exercise regularly and the 81% who use exercise to improve create a feeling of wellbeing, according to GlobalData.
Tied into the athleisure trend is the desire to look good while exercising and this has led to the popularity of hashtags, such as #GymSelfie to show off the gym body.
Millennials are at the forefront of the beauty athleisure trend, with 81% saying they are interested in products targeted towards fitness.
“Consumers want to embrace their ‘post-gym’ skin,” stated Lia Neophytou, associate analyst, GlobalData.
Examples include CliniqueFIT high performance skincare and makeup designed to offer protection while exercising and long-wear colour to look good even when sweating.
Others include SportFX make up and Mac X Puma, the first beauty collaboration with a sportswear brand.
The athleisure trend is still in its infancy with plenty of opportunities for expansion, believes Neophytou, including climate-specific formulations, gadgets to track SPF exposure and hydration levels in the skin and sports nutrition linked to beauty.
Imogen Matthews is a beauty industry commentator and consultant
